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Analysis suggests US-made missile hit Iranian town
Weapons experts have identified a projectile in footage of last month's strike on the southern Iranian town of Lamerd as likely being a US-made Precision Strike Missile (PrSM). The attack killed at least 21 people and damaged residential buildings and a sports hall.
Evidence points to PrSM involvement
Analysts from defence intelligence firm Janes and McKenzie Intelligence reviewed CCTV footage authenticated and geolocated by BBC Verify. The projectile's shape, blast characteristics, and absence of visible nose-mounted controls led experts to conclude it was probably a PrSM, a long-range weapon recently deployed by the US military.
Amael Kotlarski, a Janes analyst, stated that based on the missile's features and the distance from potential US launch sites in the Middle East, the PrSM was the most plausible munition in the American arsenal capable of striking Lamerd.
"US Central Command has admitted to using PrSM in strikes from the desert of an unnamed Gulf country against Iran in the early phases of the conflict."
McKenzie Intelligence
Strike details and casualties
The attack occurred on the first day of the conflict, targeting two sites approximately 300 metres apart. Iranian state media reported at least 21 fatalities, including a 12-year-old girl, Elham Zaeri, described by her father as an enthusiastic volleyball player. The youngest victim was reportedly two years old.
Footage of the aftermath showed severe damage to the sports hall, with its side blackened by soot and debris scattered around the area. Analysts noted that the fragmentation pattern was consistent with a PrSM warhead.
Possible military target and US response
The intended target may have been an Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) base adjacent to the sports hall. Satellite imagery from 9 March showed the base appeared undamaged, while the nearby sports hall and residential buildings sustained significant impact.
US Central Command (Centcom) declined to comment on the strike. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that the incident was under investigation and reiterated that US forces "never target civilian targets."
PrSM: A new weapon in the US arsenal
The PrSM, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, is a next-generation long-range ballistic missile with a range of up to 500 km (310 miles). It entered service in 2023 and succeeded the ATACMS missile, which has been used by Ukraine against Russia.
Gen Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, praised the system's precision during a 13 March press conference, stating that troops had "made history" with their operations.
Lockheed Martin recently signed an agreement with the US Department of Defense to quadruple PrSM production. The company describes the missile as "mature, proven, affordable and low-risk" but declined to comment on the Lamerd strike, referring questions to the US government.
Aftermath and public reaction
Days after the attack, a mass funeral procession took place in Lamerd. Footage from IRGC-affiliated Tasnim news agency showed hundreds of mourners paying respects to at least 18 coffins draped in the Iranian flag, including one believed to belong to a young child.
The Open Source Munitions Portal also identified PrSM footage in a video released by Centcom on 1 March, the day after the conflict began.
